A place that discusses classic and contemporary horror films as well as horror related topics.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

The Sixth Sense

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Release Date: 1999

Still holding the place as M. Night Shyamalan's Best work to date, The Sixth Sense is still as suspenseful and thrilling from beginning to end.

Watching this after knowing the twist only makes the viewer pay attention to the acute attentiveness Shyamalan took to include clues for the end result (using red) in every frame of the movie. This movie plays like a drama with ghosts sprinkled in which makes the story that much memorable.
We got Mr. Action Man Bruce Willis completely playing against type, as the quiet and well-mannered child therapist, Malcolm. Then we have New Kids On the Block singer Donnie Wahlberg's most notable film role as skinny, gaunt, and unrecognizable Vincent as the troubled man who had Malcolm as his therapist a decade ago. Not to mention the amazing talent that Toni Collette can pull off (in Everything, really) as the mother Lynn, coupled with little young Haley Joel Osment (not his debut, if you cinephiles know your stuff, you know his first picture was Forrest Gump) as Cole, the boy who "sees dead people." I could go on how well this picture was successful because of the performances, the story, and all those little clues Shyamalan placed for us to see.

This was also one of the only four horror pictures to ever be nominated for an Oscar in history (the other three were The Exorcist, Jaws, and Silence of the Lambs) and Shyamalan's only nominated picture. You know why that is folks? Because Shyamalan's shtick became tired rather quickly. I don't want to even start with how amazing Unbreakable could have been save for the ending, the laughable film that was Signs, the ridiculousness of The Village and I stopped there. I haven't watched another Shyamalan picture since. I'm sure you know why. And I know I'm not alone in this. I found it quite pleasurable and fitting that during the trailer of Devil, everyone groaned in unison when the words, "produced by M. Night Shyamalan" came on the screen. Seriously folks, which of Shyamalan's pictures has topped this one since?

If you haven't seen this movie, hopefully the ending hasn't been ruined for you. And if you are still in the dark, go see it now! It's not necessarily a "must see" movie but a well crafted piece of filmmaking from M. Night Shyamalan (his Best of all the movies he's directed).